No More Boring Meetings, Please!

We’ve all been through at least one meeting or event that felt meaningless. It can be painful. After recently enduring a boring meeting, I Googled the phrase ‘boring meetings’ in a variety of ways and was amazed at the results. There were countless sources detailing how to survive sitting through a boring meeting. The suggestions ranged from writing poetry and doodling to honing your bucket list and daydreaming of your next job. Ouch. Imagine you are the person or team responsible for that meeting that has others writing poetry rather than engaging in what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re that person or team, or if you know the person or team that is running the boring meeting, this article is for you. 

Sadly, too many people suffer from what our team calls, WTF Meetings. No… not Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Very funny! Seriously, WTF stands for Wasted Time Feeling. Who likes feeling that their time is being wasted? Conversely, who wants to feel like they are wasting someone’s time? Not me. Not anyone. No one intends on having a WTF Meeting, yet they happen. A lot.

I also Google searched the phrase ‘engaging meetings’. Most of the results had the word ‘effective’ in the headline or subheading. Being effective can be defined in various ways, depending on your goals. Globally, being effective means being successful in producing a desired result. No matter the goal, if and how you meet the goal is closely tied to your company’s core values and the strength of your team’s belief in your company vision. 

Whether internal or with customers, your meetings, events, workshops, and retreats – from content and structure to engagement and production – are a reflection of your organization’s culture, company values, and vision. When you think about the last five events or meetings you’ve attended, how aligned were those experiences with the company’s values and vision? How did you feel? Motivated? Supported? How ‘effective’ or ‘engaging’ were they? Were the desired outcomes met?

I prefer the term ‘engaging meetings’ over ‘effective meetings’ because I feel that if the attendee is inspired and believes in the why behind your goals, that has a longer lasting impact on your business than simply being effective. I have found that when people are moved, they’re more than just effective, they’re less transactional. And when they’re less transactional, they’re more connected to something bigger than themselves – your company. That’s when the magic happens – collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, improved morale, happier customers, repeat and referral business, people feeling valued, joy, fulfillment, profitability, success. 

To be clear, I am not saying that ONE meeting will deliver magical organizational transformation. What I am saying however, is that one meeting can create a ripple. And if the conditions are right, the ripple will become a giant wave. 

Creating engaging meetings takes time, a luxury that many of us don’t seem to have enough of. In an effort to help, I have compiled a list of 11 meeting and event strategies that work:

1. Well in advance, clearly communicate to your attendees what you want from their participation, what you want to achieve by meeting, and what’s in it for them.
2. Send confirmation reminders. 
3. Get support from strategic partners.
4. Structure the meeting so that it creates interactions and connections. 
5. Practice and rehearse – be prepared!
6. Stay focused on your goals and always have a timekeeper to make sure you keep to the schedule.
7. Check and re-check ALL A/V components before the meeting.
8. Make it sensory – there are five senses to choose from; taste, sight, smell, hear, touch.
9. Keep copious notes.
10. Send follow up communication.
11. Measure your success.

Sounds easy, right? If that were the case, there would be fewer WTF meetings! All kidding aside, the amount of time, money, and resources misused for meetings and events is no laughing matter. According to a survey by Harvard Business Review, only 17% of executives believe their meetings are productive and valuable. This is largely due to poor planning and lack of preparation. In fact, 63% of meetings don’t have a set agenda, and 37% don’t have any agenda at all.

Here’s the thing. Often times, meetings and events are underrated and undervalued because we have experienced too many that were disingenuous or too transactional. When planned with the intention to captivate and inspire, meetings and events can be a company’s superpower. These valuable opportunities can create synergies, develop ingenuity, drive growth, and foster a company community made up of loyalists and advocates.  

Whether you’re planning an in-person meeting for eight, a virtual team meeting for 25, or a company conference for 1,000, each experience is a reflection of your organization’s culture, values, and vision. Meaningful events and meetings can turn the ordinary into extraordinary, turning that ripple into a wave of positive change.